Using my notes and checklists I'll proceed with my 1st ever trip report as the Scotch Whiskey and the long period of intense game viewing has left the information somewhat jumbled .

N4 to Numbi gate by 7am
Breakfast at Pretoriuskop with a refresher swim
3 nights at Lower Sabie hut
2 nights at Shingwedzi hut
5 more nights at Lower Sabie hut
9 nights at Orpen huts - joined by long standing friends from Haenertsberg and Krugersdorp for Christmas and New Year
Met more friends from Pretoria and AGATHA .
Rains came again on 30th Dec 2006
5 nights at Lower Sabie hut again
2 nights at Maroela campsite for the peacfull close to the bush experience , once all the kids are back to school .
1 night at Swadini on the way home
Panorama route home - temperature about 15 degrees lower
and the air as clear as a diamond

6000 kilometers , 280 liters diesel ave 4.7 liters per 100 km
wildcard rewards well over R300
swims about 4 a day
showers about 1 every 4th day (working to save water)
12 bottles of Scotch
only 3 kilograms weight put on to prove that Scotch is good for your figure considering the gourmet menu's
roads most rewarding H4-1 H4-2 S100 H7 S50 H10 S28
roads most dissapointing - none (enjoyed all the others too)
condition of gravel road surfaces - terrible (take a bakkie)
condition of veld - most areas have had good rain for grass growth but not so much for water pools to disperse the game .
therefore above average game viewing conditions .
lions - almostevery day and up to 3 X a day
cheetah - 3 time
leopard - 6 times (a personal best ever)
DUKE himself and other good elephants and herds
wild dogs - 3times including a chase and kill in front of my eyes
serval
civet in daylight
african wild cat in Orpen that up close and trusting
goliath heron catching a tiger fish and swallowing it alive
birds excellent, most with progeny
even towards the end at least 4 new bird species per day

righto , i've done my bird checklist as an excel spreadsheet and am having gwendolin process and post it .

before i do my animal checklist some answers to replies .

1 DuQues you are welcome to correct my spelling in the topic

2 Gwen - it could very well be Camcat . I saw it at last light without any torchlight and walked calmly over to it . it rolled around on the sandy ground right in front of me and "purred" .
Then he wanted to rub up against my leg but i withdrew so as not to let him become "tame" .
I couldn't help thinking of Astley Maberly the man who could talk to animals.

3 Ok Agatha , on New Year's day I had some Chateau Libertas to aid digestion as i was a little weakened by 2006 .

4 Madach - VW Golf TDi Estate but I do wish i had a Bakkie for the gravel roads .

5 Jose - I assume that the Goliath Heron wants to swallow before scavangers see and he can't smack it the way Kingfishers do . he did regurgeitate once and his throat was distended .

and a long time spent at the skukuza nursery and boardwalk
and also the library / museum ( the beautifull stone building was completed in October 1961)
at least one visit to each birdhide, lookout and picnic spot
strolls around each camp (even if not a resident) with binoculars to birdwatch very rewarding if thirsty work

- Komatipoort shopping for food expeditions yielded excellent meals at the "Stoep cafe" (mentioned elsewhere too) and the most divine fried take-away fish from Odette at her "Mozambique cafe" . Odette dosn't fry in batter just dusted in seasoned flour as only the Portuguese can. Pity Big John's is gone now for the best prawns ever .

- peanuts , raisens and dried fruit emergency health foods returned home almost unused . won't drag them along again

1 Bert , evening meals in camps and a few brunches at picnic spots . Majority of scotch consumed from sundowner time and over the evening meal - that's why the meal is such a ritual - more drinking time . Each night was about 6 packets of ice .

2 I am going to post the full series of Duke's photos on the topic:-
Big Tuskers under Animals .

3 The section Rangers have new equipment for patrols (game spotting , poacher control etc.)